Maiko one-shot
by XlittlefallingstarX
Summary: A modern AU Mai x Zuko one-shot


"Hey Mai, do you have the notes from yesterday's lecture?" Mai didn't even bother to turn her head as Zuko jogged to her side, backpack slung over one shoulder.

"I might," Mai retorted. "Where were you?"

"Oh, y'know..." Zuko fixed her with his signature sheepish grin and reached up to scratch the back of his neck. "Here and there."

"And by that you mean taking Ashley to lunch. Or was it Brittany this time?"

"Liz. But that's beside the point. You're my best friend, Mai. Help a guy out."

Mai let out a groan and slammed the binder she was carrying into his chest. "The notes are the first few pages."

"Thanks, Miss Stormcloud."

"Hey." Mai jabbed a finger at Zuko's chest with a scowl. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Bring the binder to my dorm by seven tonight; I need it to study for the exam."

"You got it. I really do appre-"

Zuko was cut off by the sound of a girlish giggle as someone came from out of nowhere and pulled him into a hug from behind. "Hey, Zukipoo!"

Mai raised an eyebrow in disgust, and Zuko brushed it off with an embarrassed shrug as he pulled Liz around into a hug. "Hey, Liz. This is-"

Mai didn't let him finish. She tightened her grip on her backpack and strode towards her dorm, trying her best to keep down the ball of spite and jealously building in her stomach. "Mai?" Zuko's voice called after her in confusion. Mai blocked out the sound of his voice and only walked faster.

She hated that Zuko had a new girl on his arm every week, and she hated herself for wishing that it was her. He never made things official or got an actual girlfriend; everything was just casual fun and games to him. She was pretty sure Zuko wasn't trying to get into girls' pants like most other players. He just genuinely seemed to enjoy the attention that a rich, attractive guy is bound to get.

Mai supposed the need for constant attention stemmed from being abused and rejected by his father during his childhood, but she couldn't help but be frustrated all the same. She could remember a time when Zuko hated everything in the world besides her and his uncle. She was glad he was happy and cheerful nowadays, but a low, dark part of herself couldn't help but long for the days when she had him all to herself.

Mai sighed as she opened the door to the dorm she shared with Ty Lee and slumped inside. "Mai! You're back!" Bubbly as always, Ty Lee leapt from where she was taking her hair out of its braid and pulled Mai into a hug. "C'mon, you HAVE to help me pick out, like, the cuuutest outfit ever for tonight. Jet is taking me on, like, the most romantic date ever, and I can't wait! Like, have you SEEN that guy's biceps? The guy only has one flaw. His pet cat."

"Not this again," Mai groaned. "You need to get over your fear of cats. I've seen the thing, and it's the least-frighting kitten in the world. The little thing is a harmless fluffball."

"I c-cant stand cats. They terrify me."

Mai rolled her eyes and untangled herself from Ty Lee. "I don't have time for this." With that, she plopped down on her bed. Mai pulled her pillow over her head with a muffled moan.

"Mai, what's wrong?" Ty Lee asked in concern.

"Nothing," Mai mumbled. "It's just... ugh, boys are the worst."

"Ohhh." Ty Lee sat down next to Mai and patted her shoulder sympathetically. "So it's Zuko again, huh?"

"Who else would it be?!" Mai pulled the pillow from her head and threw it towards the wall. "Why is it that he notices every girl in this damn college except for me?"

"Well, you can't really blame him."

Mai scowled up at her roommate. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look at yourself!" Ty Lee gestured to Mai's torn black jeans and black t-shirt. "You dress like a thirteen-year-old going through a goth stage! You have to kick it up a notch. Try to be sexy for once."

"I'm not changing myself for a guy, Ty Lee," Mai growled. "That's so shallow."

"But, like, just once," Ty Lee continued. "Just to get his attention. Let him know what he's missing. I have a zillion outfits you could try on. Please?"

Mai was silent for a moment as she brooded over her roommate's words. She did kind of want to turn the tables for once, to be the sought-after one. She sighed. "Alright, fine. Just don't go too overboard, okay?"

Ty Lee let out a squeal and leapt up to throw items of clothing from the closet. "You won't regret this! We're going to make you hooot!"

An hour later, Mai was fidgeting awkwardly in front of a full-length mirror. The girl in front of her was completely foreign. Her long, glossy locks had been let down to flow freely down her shoulders. Mai's makeup was bright and fresh-looking, and her lips were tinged with a bold red lipstick she'd never normally wear. Ty Lee had picked out a short, lacy black skirt and a scarlet crop top that, in her opinion, showed waaay too much cleavage.

She tugged doubtfully on the shirt in a futile attempt to hike it up higher. "I don't know..."

"It's perfect!" Ty Lee squealed.

"Ty Lee, this just doesn't seem..." Mai's protests were cut off by a knock on the door.

"That's probably Jet," Ty Lee gushed. "If you hate the outfit, you can take it off. I just thought it'd be fun to try out. See you later!"

Mai didn't take her eyes from her reflection as Ty Lee flounced towards the door and opened it. "Jet! It's, like, so good to see you. You didn't bring your cat with you, did you?"

"Err, no. Why would I...?"

"No reason. Well, let's get going. See you, Mai!" Before Mai could respond, the door shut and the babbling sound of Ty Lee's girlish voice faded into the distance.

Mai gave herself one last look in the mirror before firmly shaking her head and reaching for her jeans. "Nooope," she said to no one in particular.

Before she could take off the outfit, a soft knock sounded on the door. Mai sighed and walked over to answer it. Ty Lee always seemed to forget something or another on her dates. "Back already?" Mai tore the door open, and her heart froze in her chest as she saw who was standing there: Zuko.

"Err..." Zuko's gaze momentarily trailed down her outfit before shooting away in panic. His cheeks reddened as his gaze flitted to the door, the floor, anywhere but Mai. "I, umm, just, uh, took pictures of the notes. I'm here to... to uhh..." Zuko blinked hard as if he couldn't quite remember what he was here to do. "Return them! Yeah, that." Zuko thrust out his arms with one quick, awkward motion as he held out the binder.

"Thanks..." Mai barely contained a smile as she took the notes. Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself nodding into the dorm. "Want to come in and talk for a bit?"

"Come in?..." Zuko's eyes shot up to meet Mai's and held them for an instant before flitting black to the side as he rubbed his neck. "Yeah, I guess I could, err..."

"Great!" Mai opened the door wider, and Zuko walked in and stood awkwardly in the center of the room.

"Are you, err, going somewhere?"

"Mm? No, why do you ask?"

Zuko's eyes moved to look at her outfit once again, bringing fresh color to his cheeks as he courteously looked towards a wall. "No reason. I guess I've just never seen you dressed up before."

"Fair enough. I just thought it would be interesting to get someone's attention."

"Oh." Zuko's face fell, but he quickly covered it up with a half-hearted smile. "So you like someone, then? Who?"

"Why does it matter?" Mai stepped towards Zuko, suddenly feeling more confident than she had in a long time. She wasn't sure what had come over her.

"Just curious."

"In that case..." Mai closed the gap between herself and Zuko in one step and then pulled him towards her. Her lips found his and moved against them as she drank in the heat of his skin, the smell of his cologne, everything she'd wanted to experience for so long but had never had the guts to do.

When she pulled away, Zuko gave her the lopsided grin that she knew so well, only this time it wasn't irritating so much as soft and shy. "Oh... me."

"Yeah, you." Mai crossed her arms over her chest and turned around, suddenly in a bad mood. "Took you long enough to figure out."

"Mai, I..." Zuko's warm hand found her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "You didn't need to do all this. You could have just told me, and I would have been yours in an instant."

"Really?" Mai whispered hestitantly without turning around.

Her heart hammered in her chest as Zuko continued. "I love you, Mai. I always have. You've been there for me during my darkest times when I've needed it the most, never asking for anything in return. It just seemed like you didn't care for me romantically in return, so I tried to get your attention by flirting with other girls. No matter how much I did it, it never seemed to work."

"Okay, for the record, that is the worst strategy ever." Mai spun around, half-angry and half-amused. "Did it ever enter your thick skull that the reason I'm so grumpy is because of all the other girls?"

"Not... really..." Zuko fought back an embarrassed grin before saying, "You need to change out of that ridiculous outfit so we can talk this over without me wanting to make out with you on the spot. More than usual, I mean."

Mai threw her hands in the air in an attempt to mask the happy blush that was coloring her cheeks. "No matter what I do, I can't make you happy!"

"Just the opposite, Stormcloud," Zuko smiled as he pulled her into a hug and planted a soft kiss into her hair. "Just the opposite."


End file.
